Beautiful Balance…
Head sommelier Magdalena Sleziak talks about her work at Northcote, the stellar line-up of chefs at this year’s Obsession and her passion for fine wines from around the world
As Head Sommelier at Northcote, Magdalena Sleziak is enjoying phenomenal success having been named among the UK’s top 100 sommeliers.
“To be regarded as one of the UK’s top 100 means everything to me. It feels like all the hard work I’ve done has paid off. It is an absolute privilege and an honour especially since I have only recently moved here,” says Magda, who arrived in the UK from Krakow, Poland just two years ago.
“When I finished my education in school back in Poland I decided I wanted to start work – it was more about getting experience. My first job was in a little French bistro which sold French pastries and French wine. This really sparked my interest,” explains Magda.
Before arriving at Northcote, Magda worked in the bistro then at Enoteka Pergamin and Winnica Libiaz, on the outskirts of Krakow: “We did the first vegan wine certification there, created different blends, learnt to take care of the vines – it really opened my eyes, my time there gave me really in-depth knowledge of wine-making.”
With the support of her employers, she went on to study and gain her diploma at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in Bermondsey, London.
But her sight was always set on working as a sommelier in a Michelin-star restaurant, so when she saw the Northcote post online, she applied and became responsible for the whole sommelier team and overall wine service, working alongside Northcote’s Caig Bancroft and executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen.
“There are around 650 wines on our list from around 17 countries,” she explains. “It’s about pairing the right wines with the intense flavours of the food, knowing about the wine and its history.
“I have total respect for the 40 years of tradition at Northcote and for the team. I try to complement Lisa’s cooking – I’ve learnt such a lot from her flavour combinations.”
As a young Certified Sommelier, 31-year-old Magda also enjoys offering new ideas: “I like to think out of the box. I love to choose wines that are elegant, light and feminine. There are differing thoughts when it comes to pairings, some like to pair a creamy dish with a wine that is also creamy but that’s not what I do – I would go for something light with acidity to achieve a beautiful balance.
“There are a lot of wines that I haven’t yet tasted – it’s such a privilege here as I get to taste wines that I would never open just for myself.”
Within a year of working at Northcote Magda passed her Certified Court of Sommeliers exams and was nominated for the UK’s Best Young Sommelier.
“When I came to Northcote for the first time I just loved it! I was mesmerised with the greenery and the countryside. I love cycling, swimming and hiking – I live locally so when I walk to work I can see Pendle Hill. It’s amazing.”
One of the highlights of Magda’s work this year has been the 17-night Obsession festival when guest chefs from all over the world came to cook at Northcote. This year’s Obsession saw a stellar line-up with no fewer than 24 Michelin stars showcased over the course of the event. Among them, father and daughter duo Michel Roux (La Gavroche) and his daughter Emily (Caractere), Aktar Islam and Daniele Lippi from two-star Acquolina in Rome.
His playful, adventurous style saw him launch a seven-course menu with signature snacks that included apple sandwich, tuna tartare and seaweed mayonnaise and pistachio hummus with trout caviar. But it was his smoked mackerel with a balsamic-based teriyaki sauce and fois gras that got the Northcote sommelier team somewhat flummoxed when it came to a wine pairing.
“When we came to Daniele Lippi’s smoked mackerel dish it was quite a challenge. We tried a good few wines and eventually we opted for a sweet Alsace wine, which was unusual but it had an acidity which cut through and it worked really well.
“Preparing the pairings for Northcote Obsession is the most exciting time,” says Magda. “Personally, I love the creative side of it. We get the guest chefs’ menus two weeks in advance and then we sit down with Julian from Wright Wines to taste the food and pair the wines.
“Julian then prepares a ‘wine bible’ for us containing all the menus and a technical summary of every single wine in the wine flights so we can present each wine to guests. We try to follow the rule of never including the same country in a wine flight.
“During this year’s Obsession there was around 100 different wines. Each evening, we must know the menu and the wines inside out and it’s a beautiful story when combined.”
Over the years, learning about wine, the wine-makers and their history has inspired Magda to travel extensively and next month she is set to embark on a sommeliers’ trip organised by the Wines of Portugal: “We will be visiting different regions and meeting the wine-makers and the artisan producers of traditional food – learning about their story. We become ambassadors for those regions so we can explain the complexities of the wines and understand the flavours of the food.
“On these trips you meet a lot of interesting people, you make connections and friendships are forged. It’s such a pleasure when your daily job is your greatest passion.”
